AN Army corporal who went missing for more than a month has been reunited with his anxious local family after he handed himself in to police.

Wesley Hutton, 28, vanished on August 15 after setting off from his girlfriend's house in Rock Street, Oldham, to return to base in Witshire after home leave.

He told his girlfriend he was going to collect travel tokens from an Army careers office but the alarm was raised when he never rejoined his fellow soldiers of The First Cheshire Regiment in Bullford, Salisbury.

His disapearence was said to be completely out of character as he has an exemplary service record in the military.

Wesley's mother, Jean Herbert, made an emotional public appeal for his safe return and he then left a message on her phone last Monday saying he was safe and that she was not to worry.

The next day, on September 13, he made contact with officers and told them he had been staying with friends in the Oldham area.

Jean said: "Wesley is safe and well and has already returned to his regiment in Northern Ireland.

"It is a great relief for all the family."

An Army spokesman said: "We will look at the facts of this case in detail before any decision is made about disciplinary procedures.

"We don't want to punish a man for having problems and make those problems worse.

"The commanding officer has already indicated he is minded to take a lenient approach."

Wesley, who has a young daughter, was an Army cadet for three years before joining the service as a full-time soldier at the age of 16.